What do I need to know about travelling Australia

1.
Posted byDbuck282(Budding Member 7 posts) 2y
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Hey guys! I'm Danielle, me and my friend Stacey are arriving in Melbourne on 5th Nov! Eeekk, we have our holiday working visas and cash sorted which is a bonus, what would you all recommend to pack (other than clothes)? And in regards to jobs? Would they accept photocopies of qualification certificates? What bank accounts do I open? I'm stupidly arriving with no idea of what's going to happen! And when should I book accommodation? Before or when I get there?? Your help would be much appreciated :-) thanks guys. X X

[ Edit: Edited on 08-Sep-2016, at 02:41 by Dbuck282 ]

2.
Posted byCyberia(Travel Guru 1869 posts) 2y
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You can buy almost anything in Australia that you can buy back home.

You should have booked accommodation already. Long term if that is what you need as it is cheaper per month. Try and get within walking distance of public transport.

People often do take photocopies. They come with phone numbers so can be checked up on, by phone (or email).

Do an internet search for:

working in australia blogs

to know what to expect.

Australia is an expensive country so try and get a job ASAP. You can even check out job agencies online in Melbourne and see what they have available.

3.
Posted byprincessness(First Time Poster 1 posts) 2y
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Keep copies of anything you need on USB, no need to carry paper copies because mist job applications in Australia are done online.You can apply for jobs on Jora or seek.com.au

With accommodation stay at a back packers as soon as you arrive since most of them will be in the heart of the city & will provide you with sheets etc. You will meet a LOT of other working holiday travelers there and a LOTs of the places have a jobs notice boards where you can pick up jobs.

Most travelers to Australia on a working holiday visa do not stay in one place for long so do not book long term accommodation. If you intend to add fruit picking to your list of jobs , they provide accommodation as well as an hourly rate plus some meals. Try & mix it up so that you get to see city areas as well as bush & farm areas. Use the money you save during fruit picking jobs to spend on tours & activities when in the city.

4.
Posted bySarah.M(Budding Member 10 posts) 2y
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Hi,

It depends what kind of job you're applying for. I was looking into substitute teaching while I was there and they needed original documents, which makes sense as it's more of a profession than a temporary job. Depending on the job they might only accept Australian equivalents of different credentials. I didn't risk bring my certificates because I was travelling too long and we found work fruit picking and in sales instead.

If you want to fruit pick, calling Harvest Trail when you arrive is a good place to start. We found jobs within a couple days doing that but there's always a rush of people looking for work.

There are pretty basic bank accounts you can open at Commonweath or ANZ or other banks that have low or no fees. Commonwealth had a fee. You will need an address for them to mail you your debit card once you arrive.

Accommodation-wise hostels can be pretty expensive. Since there are two of you, it sometimes works out to be cheaper or a similar price to rent a room in a house together, though if you're looking for more of a social/party experience they're not terribly exciting. If you don't want to commit for a whole month, some have weekly rates, though they're higher than monthly. It worked out to be cheaper than a hostel and we had free unlimited wifi, kitchen with dishes, free laundry and more space. We found our weekly rental room off Gumtree the day of, though we were in Perth which wasn't as busy.

You can also try couchsurfing your first couple of days and your host will probably have lots of advice and help. I'd arrange that in advance though.

As mentioned above, some jobs fruit picking also provide accommodation, though that usually means a place to pitch a tent or sleep in your car. Camping is the cheapest way to get around Australia, especially if you plan on travelling later.

All the best with your trip!Sarah

5.
Posted byjasonh2015(Full Member 156 posts) 2y
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Hi,

Just to add, you can open your account with commonwealth online and nominate a branch to pick your card up. You can also transfer your money before you leave It's what i did.

All you need is your passport to open/active your account when to arrive.

A friend of mine did farming and is able to get a 2nd visa, but some farmers, very few thou, want the full 3 months before signing you off.